By Request
by Kimura
Summary: Kouji is a bartender who works at a karaoke bar. He secretly harbors a crush on a regular redheaded patron. A certain purplehaired coworker might just end up playing matchmaker. See what happens! YAOI/SLASH


_Reincarnation fic. From Kouji's POV. I might write a sequel, as I enjoyed this so much. _

He's here almost every night. He always comes in with the same group. They tip well, and they all usually join in the karaoke and dancing. The boss says that they're good customers.

When he doesn't show, I spend most of the night watching the door. I've tried to deny the fact that I'm waiting for him, hoping he'll appear.

I can't believe I've got a crush at my age. This is complete bullshit. I don't even know the guy.

His friends call him Tasuki.

Whenever the DJ calls him up to the stage to sing, my heart just about stops. That bastard has caused me to drop more drinks than I have in my entire bartending career. I'm no klutz, but something about him just makes me lose all concentration.

It's worse when he dances.

I wonder sometimes what he wears at his day job. All I know is when he comes here, he's always in tight jeans or leather pants with a tank top. The girls in the bar drool all over his impressive chest and arm muscles. I've never seen him leave with anyone, though. Oh, he'll flirt with them, buy them drinks, dance with them, serenade them …

But he always goes home alone. Well, if he's drunk, he rides with a friend.

Any of those girls would go home with him in a heartbeat.

Hell, so would I.

Thinking like that is just stupid. We've never even spoken. He doesn't come up to the bar. I've made him plenty of drinks, but the waitresses always bring them to his table. I've been tempted a few times to write my number on a napkin and give it to one of the waitresses with his drink.  
But as I've never seen him flirt with a guy, I don't think it's a good idea.

He's here again, with his usual crew. The bar is busy tonight, and I'm trying to stay focused and fill all of the drink orders. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see flashes of red hair flitting around the bar, drinking, talking, laughing, dancing.

"And next up is … Tasuki!" the DJ yells loudly.

I keep a firm grip on the beer glass I'm filling as the bar bursts into appreciative yells.

I don't know what his life is like outside of this building. But I know that when he's in here, he's a superstar. The regulars love hearing him sing. He has an amazing voice. Of course, even if he couldn't carry a tune or sang at one hundred kilohertz, I'd still love watching him on stage.

Acknowledging the crowd, Tasuki takes the microphone from the DJ and waits for the music to start.

I try to listen to the order of a smashed college girl as the electronic beat of the song starts up.

As I'm pouring the girl's drink, I notice that a lot of the people at tables have gotten up to dance.

And then I knock the glass right on the floor, as Tasuki breaks into the refrain, "Ooh, I want you. I don't know if I need you, but ooh, I'd die to find out."

"Whadja go an' do that for?" the girl complains irritably.

"Distracted by your boyfriend up there again?" a playful voice asks.

I look up at the other bartender, Nuriko. I have to admit that when I met Nuriko, I had no idea what gender he was. I mean, he has long, purple hair, wears cropped shirts, and tight pants. If not for the lack of a chest, sometimes I would still wonder.

"I'm not distracted, and he's not my boyfriend," I reply, cleaning up the mess and getting a new glass.

At a break in the song, Tasuki yells for everyone to get on the dance floor.

"That means you, too, Kouji! Get out here!"

Nuriko catches the empty glass as it slips out of my hand.

My blood runs cold.

He knows my name! But . . . how!

"I think you'd better get up there," Nuriko says with a knowing smile. "I'll take care of the bar for a minute."

I just stand there, completely numb. I finally look up at the stage to see Tasuki singing the words in my direction, "Ooh, I want you. I don't know if I need you, but ooh, I'd die to find out."

I restrain myself from leaping over the bar, slide past Nuriko to the exit, and walk slowly towards the packed dance floor.

Feeling a little self-conscious, I look for people I recognize and go hover near some regulars.

I look up at Tasuki on the stage, working the crowd and belting out the lyrics. I grin and lose myself in his energy, dancing along with everyone else.

Then he suddenly jumps down from the stage and into the crowd, dancing with different people.

I'm disappointed that I lose sight of him. I can still hear his voice, though, and that's enough to keep me dancing for now. Normally, I would never be caught dead out here. But how could I refuse his request?  
An arm slides around my waist from behind, and a warm body begins moving with mine to the rhythm.

I hear Tasuki's voice over the speakers and in my ear as he sings the last refrain of the song.

I can do nothing but close my eyes and move to his rhythm.

I keep waiting to wake up and find out that this is all just a dream.

As the song ends, the crowd bursts into thunderous applause and begins to head back to the tables.

Tasuki's arm doesn't loosen its hold, though.

"I've been waiting to dance with you for a long time," he says softly, his lips just barely touching my ear.

"I didn't even think you knew my name," I answer, still in disbelief.

"I asked around. I was just waiting for my moment." He finally lets me go as the DJ calls someone else up to sing. I start to head back to the bar as he hands the microphone back to the DJ.

I slow down as Tasuki races to catch up with me.

"Don't work too hard, okay?" he says with a grin. "I'll be waiting for you. We can go get a coffee or something." He leans in and kisses my ear playfully before jogging back to his table. I watch as his friends each high five him and then wave in my direction.

I let a stupid smile spread across my face and wave back.

Nuriko is grinning from ear to ear as I step back behind the bar.

"You knew, didn't you?" I accuse. "You told him my name."

Nuriko bursts into gales of laughter. "It was just so ridiculous! You two were drooling over each other, but you'd never spoken! So, I might've helped moved things on. Just a little."

I'm not sure whether to hug him or strangle him.

"Thanks," I say instead. I go back to filling drinks, feeling a warmth that has nothing to do with alcohol.

Closing time can't get here fast enough.


End file.
